Above the Clouds

During a gloomy Toronto winter, my sub-conscious led me to a more congenial place: above the clouds. The magic of Kilimanjaro lives on in my dreams. Even when I'm not thinking about the climb, directly, I realize that images and feelings linger. Seeing them translated onto canvas, spontaneously, I welcome the sense of magic they impart.

Cloud Series

Clouds drift in and out of our lives. Some arrive with messages. Others help in their formulation. Nothing in life is permanent, even if we want it to be. In 2007, I was fortunate to take many plane journeys; see all kinds of cloud formations, sunrises and sunsets. I also climbed Kilimanjaro, spending a week in and above the clouds. One minute, we could see what was in front of us. The next, it was gone. One moment, we felt one way. The next, feelings changed. Cloud-watching taught me a lot about how life can be short, fragile, wondrous, and out-of-our control. Back in my studio, I started painting clouds spontaneously, no plan except to see what might appear without copying. Clouds on my mind, they started emerging in all colors and forms. Each set seemed to highlight specific circumstances. Some took me to familiar places, others to where I hadn’t been before. I discovered and grew and hope viewers will too.